AROUND THE WORLD.

Tehran rejects U.S. anti-nuke incentives

March 13, 2005|By Items compiled from Tribune news services.

TEHRAN, IRAN — Iran scoffed at U.S. incentives aimed at coaxing the Islamic Republic to drop its nuclear ambitions and declared Saturday that Washington's overtures did nothing to change Tehran's plans to push ahead with its nuclear program.

An Iranian envoy in Europe, however, acknowledged in guardedly positive terms that there appeared to be a "new awakening" in Washington.

Tehran issued its defiant response a day after the Bush administration softened its stance on how to thwart Iran's nuclear development and agreed to support a European plan that offers economic incentives to Iran.